


Sleepless Nights

by thenotsofantasticlifestory



Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Lawki, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Softness, during Timeskip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22182082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenotsofantasticlifestory/pseuds/thenotsofantasticlifestory
Summary: Kiki can't sleep, and Law is curious to know more about his new ally.
Relationships: Trafalgar D. Water Law & Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	Sleepless Nights

**Author's Note:**

> So this is just self indulgent tbh, OC is Kiki, who is with the strawhats. During the 2 year time skip she ends up traveling with the Heart Pirates so that's when this takes place

It wasn’t a new dream, no, she had had it before; but there were variations. Tonight, it went like this; 

Kiki found herself in an empty white room, though she wouldn’t call it a room, more of an infinite, empty space. But that wasn’t important. In front of her was Mat. 

“Big sis…please don’t kill me…” he’d plead. 

He grabbed desperately at the hem of her clothes and though she’d never harm her brother, blood started pouring from his chest. 

“Please…Big sis…” he cried. 

She raised her hands to find his blood smeared across her. There was no breath, no thought, just the horror of her little brother dying in front of her 

_By her hand_

“You said you’d protect them,” a voice said. Kiki turned around only to be met with her mother; young and beautiful and still alive. 

“You promised me,” she said. 

Kiki clutched at her hands desperately. She turned to Mat who was collapsed in his own blood. She found his blood all over her clothes. Her mother’s eyes met her, filled with sorrow, and she repeated, “You promised me.” 

Flames appeared, small at first, but grew quickly, devouring her mother’s flesh. 

“You promised…!” she cried, as the flames ate into her face, leaving bones and skull. 

Her mother was gripped tightly onto Kiki, spreading the flames, and despite her screams, they grew. 

Kiki was breathing hard, tears flowing freely, “…I tried…! I’m sorry!” she cried. 

But the flames grew, from the bones and burnt flesh of her mother soon to herself. She saw her body melt and burn as the fire grew and gave a great gasp. 

Her eyes opened in darkness. 

She laid in bed, a small room amongst metal tubes and wall. 

Just a dream 

It wasn’t a new dream; the main premise remained the same. Sometimes it was Mat, sometimes Hank, but the end was the same. It was always one or both of her little brothers dead, and her mother was always there. Sometimes burning, sometimes disintegrating within herself, leaving just bottles of alcohol behind, or withering from the head down like a rotting vegetable. 

She raised herself up, trying to collect her thoughts. The dream was still so horribly vivid. She pressed her hands to her face and was surprised to find that tears had fallen down her cheeks. 

_So stupid_

But at this rate she wouldn’t fall back asleep and she knew it. With a sigh she threw on some clothes and exited the Polar Tang. 

+++++++ 

After several hours, and several cups of coffee, Law found himself nearly finished with the current medical journal he was on. He rubbed his eyes, but a small sound caught his attention. At this time of night all the crew was sleeping, he knew this, though he left his door cracked open in the case of any emergency that was found. And from the crack of that door he heard some heavy footsteps and the brief glance of a figure passing by. It was enough to distract him from his studies, the fact that anyone was awake at this point piqued his curiosity. And after placing a bookmark, he followed suit. 

+++++++ 

She was thankful the Polar Tang was surfaced right now, at night there wasn’t too much threat of enemies finding them and, worst case scenario, they’d dive. But right now, she could sit on the deck and stare up at the sky. The cool air of the night blew against her face with the taste of salt. 

This was what she needed. Even if she stayed awake the rest of the night, this peaceful atmosphere was enough to relax her. She leaned against the cold metal of the sub, completely content. 

The sound of the door opening was what brought her attention. To her surprise (but unsurprise) Law emerged. 

She gave him a glance and a smile, “Couldn’t sleep?” 

He approached her and joined alongside, “I could ask the same thing.” 

She gave a small laugh and settled herself against the exterior of the sub. Law took a moment, unsure with this new relationship with someone who wasn’t even part of his crew, but eventually took a seat next to her. There was nothing better to do anyway, and it was his duty as captain to make sure everyone on his ship was comfortable. He kept his distance. 

It was Kiki who spoke first, “So what keeps you up so late tonight?” 

He took a moment to study her features, still staring up at the night sky, then answered, “The usual,” he shrugged, “I had work to do.” 

She hummed in response. He felt there was more and, after a minute of internal debate, he pushed her further. 

“Seriously, why are you up this late?” he asked. 

The way her gaze darkened just slightly was not unnoticed by him. He was no strangers to nightmares and could see the effects of one from a mile away, but he waited. It was always something in the eyes, some afterimage of thought or a deepening void the dreams had left but it was there, he’d seen it enough times in his own eyes. 

“I just…” she paused and he could see the way her mouth tightened, “A bad dream I guess.” 

Law decided not to push it further, he knew the feeling. He nodded and suddenly got up and left. Kiki was left stunned for a moment before he returned with two mugs in his hands. 

“Here,” he offered her a cup. The strong smell of coffee greeted her. 

“If we’re not planning to sleep, we might as well,” he continued. 

She shrugged and took a long sip; the drink was comforting and warm. Law took a sip as well. Kiki stared intensely at the sky and took a moment before speaking, “You know?” 

“Hm?” 

“It’s something my mother told me,” she said, and her eyes softened at the galaxies above her, “she said that when we die, our souls become stars so they can keep watching over us.” 

She turned suddenly and faced him full on, “…What do you think?” 

Law was dazzled for a moment; the intensity of her eyes and small smile that graced her mouth took his breath away. Furthermore, what she had said had inadvertently brought forth a flood of memories. 

Memories of Cora-san, of his kindness, his smile, his selflessness, his death, _bright warm blood melting into the snow._

He couldn’t find the words for a moment, but soon tore his eyes from her back toward the sky and imagined. He imagined Cora-san keeping watch over him as he had done when he was a child. He missed it, but the idea that even now, Cora-san was watching over him… 

“…It’s nice,” he finally said. 

She smiled, that stupid dazzling smile that made his chest constrict. 

“It might just be nonsense,” she said, “…but it makes me feel better.” 

“No,” he said, “It’s nice…” 

He wasn’t usually so open, but something about the late night, the open sky, and the solidarity. The words came out before he even thought about them. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked. 

Kiki gave him, for a moment, and incredulous look, before dissolving again into that stupid warm smile. 

“No,” she said, “Honestly just your company is fine.” 

He took a deep sip of his coffee and turned away to hide the flush on his face. Thank god is was dark. But something inside him was rejoicing, that she would be so open like this, so vulnerable, it sped up his heart beat. And that only annoyed him more. He could’ve left, at any point, but something kept him there, wanting to know more about this woman from another crew he’d only met about a month ago. Law felt like his thoughts were going about a thousand miles a minute. 

For what felt like a long pause he spoke, “Are you okay?” 

She met his eyes again (those beautiful eyes) and looked confused, “It’s okay I just said we don’t need to talk about it.” 

“No, no,” he wasn’t even sure why he was bringing it up but the words were surfacing before his mind could stop them, “I mean about your crew. You’re worried about them.” 

It wasn’t a question. He couldn’t imagine how it would be, to have all his crew members scattered to unknown areas around the globe, except that it would be terrible to say the least. Her face darkened again but only for a moment. Surprisingly, she smiled, “I believe in them,” she said, “I-of course I’m worried about them. And I wonder- “she stopped herself here and Law could see she was choking back emotions she’d rather not yet show. 

“I just have to believe in them, and know that they’re strong and can take care of themselves,” she said, “…I just have to believe we’ll find each other again.” She finished, her brow drawn low and insecure. 

And for one absolutely absurd, ridiculous moment Law felt jealous of Monkey D. Luffy. He felt jealous that the younger had met Kiki first and convinced her to join his crew before Law had ever had the chance and he felt his mind racing to wonder if those Strawhats even knew what kind of amazing person they had among them. Could they appreciate her the way he could? Listen to her? 

He found these thoughts and shook them off with a few gulps of coffee. There was no place for these kinds of ideas. Especially for someone who was, at best, a temporary ally. 

He needed to change the subject, for his own consciousness, “Well, it sounds like your mother knew what she was talking about.” 

She smiled again now, and he was thankful she did, that he brought that smile back but-no he shouldn’t be thinking about that. It wasn’t relevant. 

She spoke, “Yeah, I do miss her,” and he knew the feeling, knew it so much that it hurt him, but couldn’t voice that and she continued, “but I believe it. That they’re all watching over us from up above.” She stared up again, lost to her thoughts, “Those kinds of feelings; of love and caring you know, even if the person is gone, those kinds of feelings just don’t die.” 

And he felt it. He felt that even now Cora-san was there and loving him as he always did and didn’t doubt it. The ridiculous and heartfelt person he’d met that had inadvertently become his father, that feeling would never leave, and he realized now that those feelings would never leave from Cora-san as well. Even if Cora-san wasn’t here, he was ridiculous to think so. He looked toward the stars and abruptly one of them shot across the sky. Before he could stop it, a series of chuckles erupted from him. Kiki looked in question, “What?” 

Once the giggles subsided he could speak, “It’s nothing…Just thought of someone I used to know,” and he pictured again that even amongst the stars, Cora-san was there, and clumsy as ever and when that star shot across the sky the only thought that came to his mind was that Cora-san had tripped again.


End file.
